According to the Style Arc website: "A great every day dress to have in your wardrobe that is very easy to sew. The flattering extended shoulder line along with the elastic waist makes this dress suitable for different occasions. Dress it up with your favourite designer belt or use the belt pattern to create your own look in a contrast fabric.
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| Style Arc Olivia Dress |
This pattern has been around for quite a while and there are many lovely versions out there in blogland. It has taken me a while to finally purchase the pattern and try it out and I have not been disappointed.
I used this pretty tear drop printed rayon from Spotlight, but it was a nightmare to get those stripes lined up before cutting. Even though I spent quite a lot of time pinning the fabric to ensure the stripes matched, it still managed to shift and not be as perfectly aligned as I had hoped for. Next time I will steer clear of any striped patterns, especially in shifty rayon.
The only alteration I made to the pattern was to add an extra 1.5cm to the bottom edge of the bodice and the top edge of the skirt. I wanted to make sure there was plenty of fabric to be able to overlock the raw edges of the elastic casing with ease. This worked out very well. Some people have commented that the arm holes are too low and their bra is exposed, but I did not have this issue.
The bodice is maybe a little too blousey at the back, and could benefit from a little shortening. This may be due to the extra length I added to accommodate the finishing of the casing. I will need to think on this before I make another one.
I didn't make the belt included with the pattern. This narrow gold belt worked quite well with it. The neckline facing was top stitched down so there are no issues with it flipping out at all. The dress turned out very long and I ended up turning up a 5cm hem twice to achieve this length. This gave a nice weight to the hemline too. These photos were snapped in a hurry on Christmas Eve morning as we were about to head to the shops for our last bit of Christmas grocery shopping. It was cool and comfortable in the rayon and I would recommend this pattern as a nice simple wardrobe staple. Many different looks could be achieved depending on fabric choice and I think this would work well in a knit fabric too.
Happy Sewing
I really like your dress. Great print matching. I have this dress but was a bit worried it would look like a sack on me. After seeing your version and the fact that it is going to be hot in Sydney for the next few days, I might drag this pattern out. Katherine
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Katherine. I think the elastic waist takes away any risk of it looking like a sack. You should try it.
DeleteI think your dress and fabric are great! I think the back length is fine but of course, it's your choice whether or not to shorten and reduce the blousing. I think I need this pattern LOL!!
ReplyDeleteThankyou OzAnnie. Of course you need this pattern 😁
DeletePretty fabric! Looks like a nice cool dress.
ReplyDeleteThe fabric really appealed to me when I first saw it at Spotlight, but I wasn't thinking about the difficulty of matching those stripes in the shifty rayon at the time. Lesson learned and I will be avoiding any type of striped print next time I buy rayon. The dress is lovely and cool to wear...perfect for the current temps we are experiencing. Thanks Vicki.
DeleteI recently used this fabric for a simple dress (McCall's 6102 sleevless); I agree what you say about the stripes, although I didn't find it to bad. The dress has been wonderfully cool in this hot weather (Brisbane) and I've had compliments on the style and fabric. The style you chose looks lovely; I have a similar style dress to yours in a different rayon, too.
DeleteI think this is very nice and the fabric looks wonderful. As for the blousy back, I think it looks fine and on a really hot day will allow for some air to keep you cool.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your lovely comment Lynne.
DeleteReally love this pretty dress on you, Jean. Pretty fabric too :)
ReplyDeleteYou are too kind, Hana. Thank you.
DeleteA very wearable dress for hot summer days - nothing beats rayon. I think the back is okay, at least you have bending room and the elastic waist won't ride up - very annoying, because then you have to pull it down. Yes, stripes and rayon are not a good mix - I've learnt that lesson too.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sarah Liz.
DeleteI like it!! Simple and understated pattern in a great print with great fit! I like the back blousing but can understand if it feels like too much.
ReplyDeleteVery nice dress!!
Thanks Keisha. It's always nice to have another sewists opinion.
DeleteA simple design but the fabric makes it as it looks very smart, cool and comfortable for summer.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sharon. Sometimes the simple designs are the best.
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